Dethleffs has fit an overhead bed in the Trend. Beds such as these can drop down from the ceiling from above the cab, from above the front lounge, or from above the rear lounge. The one in the Trend resides above the front lounge. The drop-down bed is a practical solution that offers a bed that can be left made up and then put out of sight when not in use.
Having the drop-down bed means Dethleffs doesn’t have to rely on converting the dinette seating into a second double bed. Consequently the dinette is slightly more compact saving around 300mm of overall vehicle length.
Dethleffs’ second length-reducing solution is a clever rearrangement of the shower stall that allows the shower doors to fold back into the stall so that shower tray area is available to walk on as a passageway around the foot of the bed. In ‘passageway’ mode, an infill section of flooring with a vinyl surface to match the surrounding floor sits in the shower tray and holds the doors in position against the walls of the shower.
This novel shower arrangement allows the island bed to sit around 300mm further forward than it otherwise would, helping reduce the overall length of the motorhome.
As a result, the Dethleffs Trend measures up at a trim 7.41 metres in overall length, while offering the sought-after features that buyers seek: island bed, separate shower and toilet, entertainment seating for five (six at a pinch), and comfortable guest sleeping. Most importantly, this does not come at the expense of other features Kiwi buyers expect.
Jonas at Acacia Motorhomes, the authorised Dethleffs agent in New Zealand, recognised early on in his time as an agent that Kiwi buyers are passionate about freedom camping so set about ensuring Dethleffs sold in New Zealand are fitted with the necessities of freedom camping life.
The Trend is a good example of his philosophy. A large fridge/freezer with a total capacity of 157 litres looks after the food and beverage requirements. Water is carried in a 120-litre tank and grey water waste is fed into a 90-litre tank.
No matter how remote the location, Kiwis still like to watch the news, weather, sport and soaps on TV and the Trend obliges with a 19-inch LED TV fed by an automatic satellite finding dish. A 200-watt solar panel charging two 95-amp/hr batteries powers the TV as well as providing direct or recharging power for other devices.
So if Trend owners use their water sparingly and have a back-up toilet cassette, they should be able to spend five days ‘off-grid’ without too much trouble.
Some other features of the Dethleffs Trend T7057 that caught my eye:
- The low Ducato chassis eliminates the entrance footwell. Entry is easy. One step onto the exterior retractable electric step and a second into the interior. Having a 700mm wide doorway – 100mm wider than most – also helps.
- The fridge/freezer is raised off the floor putting the freezer box at eye level, making it easier to scan the fridge contents and allowing space for a useful, deep storage drawer underneath.
- Having doors both sides of rear garage is much better than a single door that, by default, is usually on the less favourable Kiwi driver’s side of the vehicle.
- The L-shaped dinette, with its separate side seat, allows diners to sit facing one another rather than sitting side by side but the fixed seats mean the table has to come to the diner. The multi-position table fitted does just that. It slides both sideways and fore and aft so it can be moved into the dining position once the diners are seated.
- The seat cushions are held in place with Velcro, stopping the cushions sliding around or falling on the floor.
- Having the drop-down bed positioned over the dinette rather than the cab allows room for a panorama hatch over cab.
- The 100mm-high removable floor section in the dinette area provides extra leg/headroom for tall people. Under the dinette table, a floor hatch provides access to a discreet storage space suitable for storing valuables. Another hatch in the bedroom accesses underfloor space suitable for shoe storage.
- A flap door beside the entrance provides access to a shoe storage locker under the dinette side seat.
- The monitors for the batteries and water tanks are at eye level beside the entry door, reminding you to check them regularly.
- The toilet door also latches closed across the passageway through to the kitchen creating a private en suite for the users of the main bedroom.
- The tall narrow bathroom cabinet with six shelves on the wall behind the toilet is much more useful than a couple of wide deep shelves beneath the handbasin.
Individually, each feature is not a game changer, but when considered altogether it emphasises how much thought Dethleffs puts into creating products such as the Trend.
The on-road price at the time of review is $138,000 (pull-down bed) and includes 200W solar panel; reversing camera with seven-inch display with GPS; CD/radio/MP3 all-in-one dash board system; 19-inch Aetex LED TV; Kiwiset Auto satellite dish; second battery; four-metre Thule awning.
For more information, phone 0800 112 828.
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